CLEVELAND, Tenn. (Jan. 7, 2010)—CiCi’s Pizza, owned by Bill Nelson, recently strengthened its community ties by participating in the BEST Partnership program of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce with Donald P. Yates Primary School.

The new partners signed the agreement in December at the restaurant on Paul Huff Parkway in the Hickory Grove Shopping Center.

The BEST program of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce unites the efforts of a business and a school to strengthen the quality of the educational process through the utilization of community resources, to foster better understanding between the business community and the schools, and to expand learning opportunities for everyone involved in the partnership effort.

“BEST is an acronym for Business and Education Serving Together,” Nancy Neal, vice president of communications, explained. “The program began nearly 18 years ago as a workforce development initiative that encourages partners—a business and a school—to share ideas and activities throughout the school year so both parties may have meaningful learning experiences.”

CiCi’s Pizza, a member of the Chamber of Commerce since August 2006, is excited about their newest community partnership with Yates Primary.

“As our closest school neighbor and unofficial partner for years, it’s only natural that we make it ‘official,’ ” Bill Nelson said. “We’re confident that this BEST partnership will have great benefits for both of us.”

Yates Principal Carolyn Ingram-Franitza, who has been at the school since it opened it 1991, appreciates the new partnership.

Schools in the Bradley County and Cleveland City School Systems have one or more local business partners as part of the BEST program, which is a workforce development initiative of the Chamber of Commerce.

For information about the partnership program, call Sherry Crye, director of workforce development, at 472-6587.

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